Mechanic
by Theheroineinprogress
Summary: A Reylo modern AU where Rey meets Kylo at a charity dating auction. (Side stormpilot because why not)


**Title: Mechanic**

 **Pairing(s): Rey x Kylo, Finn x Poe**

 **Rating: PG**

 **Chapter(s): 1/1**

 _AN: First time posting a Reylo here, though it's been long published on my tumblr (vietnamese-jesus). Proudly shipping this trash ship no matter how much people hates it. We do not condone relationship abuse and we are not racist. Reylo is very far from that._

* * *

"GOD NO!"

"Oh please, oh please, oh please! Just do this favor! Please, Rey! It's going to start in a few minutes! Hundreds of lives literally _need_ you!" Finn pleaded, almost in his knees to ask for her help.

"He's right, Rey. We're a hundred dollar short from the donations mark, and there aren't any other girl here but you." Poe added, gripping Finn's shoulder as they both looked at her with their wide, begging eyes.

It was Sunday. The trio assembled at the backstage of the Endor Animal Shelter's dating auction program for an emergency meeting. Apparently, one of the fundraiser's bachelorette incidentally had a bad shrimp for lunch and had to rush hope in an attempt to save her dignity from throwing up on stage while being sold.  
Of which Rey found totally bullocks – but who is she to judge if the girl really do have an upset stomach? She should at least respect her decision for backing out to spare her face, if anything else. A little prayer was sent her way to get better as soon as possible- but unfortunately, not quite soon enough to save herself from this situation that the other had caused.

"Well, how about her?" Rey pointed to one of the shelter's assistant, who was clearing paperwork with an auction winner.

Finn grunted. "A hundred dollar ain't cheap, Rey!" He whispered out of the ear shot of other workers. "Besides, you like BB-8! I bet you'd want to help out other animals even if you're not entirely a volunteer here, yes?"

Hearing his name, Poe's dog barked cheerfully at the girl. His tail wagging and tongue sticking out to on one side before nudging her hand for a pet. Although never really fully committed to the shelter volunteerism like the other two are, Rey did find an unexpected soft spot for the specific dog. And BB-8 liked her all the same – more than Poe's male friends, to be exact, but of course never more than his parent. _"He knows well when a girl is pretty,"_ she remembers him tell her when she first met the puppy.

"Your winnings would equal to a month's worth of food supply. Not only for one animal, but for four. It would help a lot just to reach our mark of a thousand dollars. Consider it, Rey." Poe urged before kneeling down and scratching BB-8's ear.

At the make-shift counter (which was actually a table but most of the incomes are being listed down and calculated there) sat a digital register that flashed the amount of money being collected. Right now, it blinks '$724', which is way too far from Poe's money mark considering there are only two bachelors left – thanks to a certain shrimp troubled girl. A typical bachelor is worth at least $60…

Rey did the mental math of adding the two left to the total money and finding it still in need for an estimated $156. She bit her bottom lip, face consumed in deep thought. They have only been expecting a hundred dollar short – which somehow buries her in even more burden to help them because they really needed all the help they could get.

"Fine," she choked out without attempting to hide her dismay. The boys' cheers were automatic. As well as Finn's arms around her. "But both of you have to make sure I'm not going to fall in some hand of a maniac!"

"We promise you won't! Besides, it's not that you can't handle yourself anyway…" Finn planted a wet, friendly kiss on her cheek which she has gotten used to. Rey knew darn well that he had the hots for Poe Dameron… not that she ever needed either of them to tell her.

"Thank you, Rey… And we'll even stalk on your date, if needed." Poe winked at her. "For protection."

"Stake out montage!" Finn approved the idea, giving him a hi-five.

"Oh god help me," was all she could mutter under her breath – praying to all deities that she know of to spare her the trouble.

She stood there albeit awkwardly. Being presented in front of people like an object to be bought isn't exactly the most comfortable feeling on earth. Taking deep breaths, Rey interlocked her fingers behind her to hide her profusely sweaty palms. The most that she could do is stare at the walls of the hall to avoid glaring at some of these auction participants. If only she had the money, then no doubt would she buy her own self out of it. But alas, being a struggling college student who can barely pay her rent must keep it together.

She did, however, manage to glare at Finn who introduced her before tuning back to the walls.

"And so, down to our last bachelorette! Her name is Rey," He spoke to the microphone but his eyes were apologetic on hers before turning to the audience. "She's nineteen, college student – aerospace engineering. She likes building stuffs – she's a great mechanic. Kind, sweet, and obviously very pretty. You _should_ get to know her more. She's the best!"

They were only sales talk to get people start bidding on her, but Rey couldn't help but to roll her eyes at his description. He wasn't even a good promoter.

"Now, let's start!"

And so, the bidding commenced.

It proceeded in a blur – nothing that really interested her. But it was about time that her mind came into focus when the bidding was raised to $80.

It wasn't that she was impressed at how above-average she reached- rather on how much money these people are willing to give away to spend a few hours with her. It was downright weird and creepy. Just how lonely are these people? But then again, the higher the money, the better it could help Endor.

She watched the people raise their hands to bid. It all came boring to her as it developed. But what's out of the ordinary was, one of the bidders was very persistent that she couldn't help but to scowl. And as if that couldn't get any worse; he was a weird looking middle aged man (which is already a red flag, shouldn't he already have a family?) with hair and a beard that looks like they haven't been washed for months. While Rey was modest enough to handle the dirtiest of the dirt, people were always harder for her to tolerate. And now, she unconsciously sends her panic stricken look at Finn and Poe as the bar hits the most awaited $100 under the uncanny man's hand.

"A h-hundred dollars…" Finn squeaked, unsure. "Going once…"

A hundred dollars for a few hours of her company. Why?

"G-going twice…"

A choking sound escaped her throat. Luckily, there was no one on stage near enough to hear. Tuning into the walls had lost their strength, and now all she could do is to hang her head and close her eyes to wait for the inevitable.

"Anyone?" She heard Finn squeak in an attempt to change her faith. "… please?"

"Two hundred dollars," A deep voice resounded in the room.

"What?!" Finn's voice echoed with the unwashed middle-aged man. Surprise very evident, not only to them but to the whole room who turned their eyes to the owner of the voice that they had heard for the first time the entire day.

Rey snapped her head up, squinting through the lights to get a good look at the challenger. It was another male, no surprise about that. Obviously older than her, but no more than the previous bidder (thankfully). His hair was long and dark, just as his outfit was that contrasts his pale skin. Sharp, angular face that highlighted a pair of soft eyes to which she wasn't even given the time to absorb it all in due to the situation on hand – technically being sold and all.

"I-I mean, Two hundred dollars!" Her best friend caught up: more than happy that there was a much decent _and very generous_ looking man who rescued his friend. "That's even more than we hoped for!" He laughed, searching for Poe who was watching amongst the public with the equal amount of surprise.

"W-wait, I—" The previous bidder scavenged through his wallet to salvage whatever's left of his cash to bid. But twice his original amount is difficult to top. And Finn has been very helpful in turning his attempts down as well.

"Two hundred dollars!" He called out once again, "Going-once-going-twice-AND-SOLD! To the man in black! Congratulations!"

* * *

It has been entirely a week since the dreaded dating auction Endor had concocted. Today was the day the $200 man was to claim his price. At this thought, Rey shivered. It still sounded too wrong to choke down even if it's entirely the whole scenario.

From what she was told, the man – named Kylo, from what he had written on the mandatory profile – left right after he filled in his papers and paid his donations. There, he left a business card with his phone number with a written address on the back. Kylo told the volunteer worker to send Rey at the location of the address today without any other information before leaving the building with lack of interest and in a definite hurry.

Whatever mystery card this Kylo was pulling, Rey isn't biting it. If anything, it only made her more cautious. In addition to her minimal knowledge in self-defense, she also brought a taser with her stuffed in a pouch.

From what she could faintly remember from the few seconds that she'd saw him, Kylo was the pale, long haired guy wearing all black. And now that she stood face-to-face with the man-still-in-black, Rey could finally take in every features of him. The first thing she noticed were his brown, delicate eyes which struggled with his other characteristics such as his acute face and prominent nose. It was a nice contrast that she appreciated… if only it didn't strain her neck so much by staring up with his towering figure.

"Uh… Hi?" Rey piped albeit hesitantly, an eyebrow raised unconsciously.

"Hello," so it _was_ the same deep voice that rang two hundred dollars. "You're Rey?" He asked stoically, a little too stiff for her taste as if this was some professional business, but still relieved by his approach: at least they could probably stand at an arm's length the whole day with ease.

"Yeah… Kylo, right?" She crossed her arms and straightened her posture – a bit intimidated by his height.

"That's me."

"Mhmm… So, I don't really participate on activities like this. There was just an accident backstage, and I was forced to come up to substitute." Rey wasn't even sure if she should explain what the faith had stored for her, but she felt as if he needed to know. "And, thank you for the two hundred dollars. That was… a lot." There was a lump forming in her throat. Part of her screamed that he was just like the obsessed bearded guy to spend so much money for her, but she decided to be on the state of denial until she learned the truth.

"It was nothing," Not really the talkative one, then. Kylo headed down the street, quickly followed by Rey.

"You must really love animals, huh?"

"Not particularly. But my father owns an old dog that I grew up with."

"I see."

And then there was silence, accompanied by nothing but the foot falls from the both of them and the usual street bumble.

More often than what she'd like to admit, Rey found herself sneaking a curious glance at the man next to her. All the time, he was quiet – his glare set straight ahead but at her last gaze, he flickered those soft brown eyes at her and raised an eyebrow in question which caused her to jump and quickly shift her stare. She swear she had heard him chortle lightly above the street noise, and by the time she mustered her courage to once again steal a glance, a corner of her lips was tugged ever so slightly – giving him sort of a crooked smile.

"Where are you taking me?" Rey asked him after taking a turn in one of the corners.

"We're just about there."

"That doesn't answer my question,"

An impatient grunt escaped him before extending a hand. "There," he gestured a house.

Rey quickly racked her mind for the ground rules. Certainly, these bidders are bound by a contract not to do something beyond the line of the comfort of the bachelorettes. Well, isn't a house one of them? Yesterday, she waved Finn and Poe from "stalking" since they would both rather spend their time in the shelter together since the new supplies have arrived. But now she's starting to regret that decision.

"Woah, buddy—I'm not playing house with you!" She protested. How long would it take for Finn and Poe to get here if she called them now? Or should she run?

"What? No we w– Oh," Kylo's face flashed from confusion to understanding, and enough soon he was restraining his laughs by licking and biting down his bottom lip. His facial muscles tried to contain it, but she could see his eyes betraying as they always did.

It all irked her. Was there something wrong in what she said? The way he stiffen himself even makes it more annoying – as if he wanted to mock her but couldn't. Rey's fingers itched to grab the taser and electrocute the man right then and there. How can someone so stoic and rigid be so darn irritating? Yet a small part of her, that of which she'd never admit she noticed it, found it kind of adorable: seeing someone so dark and impassive fight even his smile.

"Christ," He ran his fingers through his long, dark hair. "People's imaginations, really." Kylo rolled his eyes before continuing his walk and waving her to come forth.

Instead of heading to the door, the lanky man opened the garage hood to reveal an old jewel. It was a white hybrid car.

Rey couldn't help but to gasp in disbelief. Completely forgetting about Kylo's existence and taking small, cautious steps towards the vehicle as if it was some animal capable of fleeing.

"Is this…"

"The 1977 Falcon, yes. One and only." Kylo confirmed.

"Can I—?" She tried to ask for his permission to touch it, but before he could even agree, her palm is already running through the smooth hood. Ever since she was a child, she had found her passion in mechanics. The legendary 1977 Falcon, the one that had won nearly 14 races back in her days, is one of Rey's favorite land vehicle creations. It was as if she was back to being a child again.

Rey heard Kylo scoff in contempt, but she paid no attention. Behind her, he rolled his eyes and leaned on a work table. A small smile had once again crept on his lips as he enjoyed watching her eyes twinkle in delight.

"You see, I don't want to 'play house', Rey. That's stupid," Kylo mocked. "I need a mechanic."

# # #


End file.
